All Blacks: SBW a special weapon, says Smith

Sonny Bill Williams performed off-loads with ease against Scotland. Photo / Getty Images

When Wayne Smith ran Canterbury's Ranfurly Shield-era backline in the early to mid 1980s, the man invariably playing outside him developed a knack of leveraging his arms through a tackle and popping a pass to Victor Simpson.

It was Warwick Taylor's trademark, the ability to free the ball when defenders attempted to close down the second five-eighth who went on to play 24 tests, including the 1987 World Cup final.

Taylor's style was unique - but passe compared to the ball skills displayed by the All Blacks latest No 12, Sonny Bill Williams.

Smith played alongside some fine players in his era, his coaching career overlapped with the legendary Jonah Lomu, but the All Blacks assistant coach admits he has seen nothing like the off loading ability of Williams.

"It's a different skill set to what we've seen before," he said.

"I've seen the odd guy off load but he does it so consistently."

Smith thanked the 13-man code for developing Williams's uncanny knack to somehow feed his support players when they least expect it.

Williams signed for the Bulldogs National Rugby League (NRL) club but Smith was reminded of the New Zealand Warriors circa 2002 when reflecting on a strength of the 25 year-old's game.

"I can remember the Warriors back in that time, they off loaded pretty much every time."

Smith, meanwhile, joined the list of Williams' admirers after his man of the match performance during the 49-3 thumping of Scotland on Sunday (NZT).

"I think he's gone well. He's different to anything we've ever seen with the way he plays.

"It's not the usual rugby union style and I think that's interesting to people and it's good for the team.

"The boys who are running in the tries off him are pretty happy about it.

"They're starting to understand the way he plays, they're reading his body language and trying to pick up some plums off him."

Smith was also impressed with Williams' keenness to learn.

"There are areas of his game he's got to work on but he's got a willingness to do that.

"He'll come into your room, he brings his book he gets a couple of work-ons and he'll go away and work on them."

Smith said Williams was challenged to up his tackle count after the England test and responded by making 15 against the Scots.

"That was a big improvement," Smith said, adding "he could still add more impact onto his low tackles."

Smith was also impressed with Williams's contribution to Conrad Smith's try - he followed a strong chase with two tackles and then extricated himself from a ruck, raced to midfield and supplied the pass to Sam Whitelock who then put Smith clear.

If there is one deficiency in the Williams skill set it's a kicking game, not that it concerns Smith, a former first five-eighth.

"He's pretty comfortable with his grubber kick, at this stage that's about it, we don't want to overload him," he explained.

Meanwhile, Smith was at pains to emphasise there was nothing sinister in Ma'a Nonu - the first choice second five-eighth before Williams returned home in June - missing the Scotland game.

"Ma'a's had a big season and it was a good opportunity to freshen him up, Smith said.

"I think he's played really well again this year, he's a big match player and he's world class as far as we're concerned."

- NZPA